Morals and the law

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It is not the State’s role to legislate on the basis of moral considerations, but rather to protect and to benefit its citizens

Sir, Jeremy Hunt’s comments to The Times (“Hunt
backs 12-week limit for abortions”, Oct 6) rest on an elementary
confusion about the function of the State. It is not the State’s role to
legislate on the basis of moral considerations, but rather to protect and to
benefit its citizens. The choice of viability (around 24 weeks) as the time
limit for abortion rests not on moral grounds — not on moral concerns about
the sanctity of personal life, for example. If sanctity of personal life per
se were the State’s concern then it would have a duty to protect the